Dearest Moon and the Little Duster

It's been a while since I've come by the Order.

It already got dark while I was talking with Master for a bit...

*Yawn* I'm so sleepy somehow... No one seems to be around, maybe I'll just rest here for a moment.

*Snore*

Good, Good! Cleaning is good!

Order floor mopping complete! Banquet Hall cleaning complete!

I've dusted the statues, and thrown away the spoiled snacks Her Majesty had hidden!

Does that mean I'm done with today's tasks?

Oh no! I forgot to pull the weeds from the flower bed!

Ugh... How many days has it been?

I should go over there right now!

Huh? Is someone praying?

Don't the Apostles pray during the day and sleep in their bed at night?

Who could this be? Maybe she collapsed? I should get closer!

Eeeeeek!

An Apostle has collapsed!

I've never seen her before! Maybe she's an illegal... intruder!

Does my job description include dealing with illegal intruders as well? U-ugh, I don't know!

But... is she really an Apostle? She's so tiny... Could she be a newly born sprite or something?

Since I'm not a sprite, I don't know what Sprites are like when they're newly born, but...

Mmm... They say sprites bloom from flowers...

This Apostle... could she be a young one who isn't even an Apostle yet?

Flowers grow when you water them, so... maybe this tiny Sprite will grow if I water her?

It is the flower bed of the Order after all, where everything grows lush and strong...?

Maybe? Even trees start as small seeds and grow bigger when you water them, right?

Then I should move her somewhere spacious so she can grow tall and strong.

She's incredibly... light.

This is the first time I've ever lifted someone as small as myself...

Dig it up, oh oh...

Got to go and dig this hole!

This is not fun! This is hard!

But if I put this tiny sprite here...

The moonlight illuminates this spot nicely, so if I water her all night, she'll grow big and strong!

She'll need to drink water, so I'll only cover her with soil up to her waist...

*Pat, pat* Leveling the soil, leveling the soil!

But just how deeply is this sprite sleeping?

I shook her, moved her and buried her in the soil and she still hasn't woken up...

Should I have buried her upside down?

Mmm, it's too difficult to flip her over and put her back in now. I'll just leave her like this.

Now I need to go fetch some water!

Cool water blessed by the moonlight! It'll help you grow big and strong, little sprite!

Grow, grow! Sprout up nice and tall!

Bwah! Bwaaaah!

Oh? She opened her eyes!

Bwaaaah! Wh-who are you?!

I'm Crepe, the maid of the Order!

Drink lots of water! Then you'll grow as big as Her Majesty!

I'll go fetch more water!

Wh-what's going on here?

I think I dozed off under the Order's tree... but now I open my eyes and I'm buried in the ground...?

And there's water all over my head...?

Kidnapping...? Is this a kidnapping?

Did someone kidnap me after rumors about the Moon Priestess spread?

They must be planning to torture me unless I reveal the secrets of my dearest moon!

Oh no, what do I do...

I brought water! Drink up! Drink lots!

Bwaaaah! This is going too far! Pouring water over me?!

Wait, wait! Stop with the water! Let's, let's talk this out!

Talk? Does talking help sprites grow big and strong?

Come to think of it, I have heard that talking to trees helps them bear tastier fruit!

Then shall we talk? What should we talk about?

Th-the talking approach worked... Now I need to show confidence!

*Cough, cough* I-I am the Moon Priestess, Yomi...!

I will not succumb to your water torture, no matter how much you threaten me.

My dearest moon's secrets, I will never... tell... bwah!

Huh? Don't sprites grow big and strong by drinking water?

Then what should you eat? Cake? Bread? Snacks?

You're so tiny right now! Little sprites need to eat lots and lots!

L-little?! What are you talking about?!

I'm a fully grown Priestess!

Huh?

You're not a sprite?

I'm not a sprite...

Then you're not small because you just sprouted?

I'm not a sprite! I've... I've always been this height!

Eek! Let me dig you out right away!

Ugh, my clothes are all wet...

Even out of the ground, you're still small...

How rude! You're about the same height as me!

Huh? Am I this small?

Oh? We really are about the same height?

Then who are you?

D-don't tell me you're really an intruder?!

I'm Yomi, the Moon Priestess.

Moon Priestess...?

At night when Yggdrasil—like a sun guarding the day—falls asleep, a priestess serves the softly rising moon...

I serve Master as my dearest moon.

Hmm... You seem a bit different from the Order's Apostles, but you're still connected to Master!

I'm Crepe, the maid here at the Order! I serve Master and the Order!

I see. Nice to meet you, Crepe.

How did you become a maid, Crepe?

Well, it just felt natural from the moment I came into being.

I felt obligated to do errands and keep the Order's residence clean.

Why do you serve the dearest moon, Yomi?

Well... because it's the Moon Priestess's duty?

I don't remember well. But I think you and I are similar.

It just happened naturally... I started tending to the Moonflowers and gazing at my dearest moon.

Is this our fate as small ones?

Hehe... maybe.

How fascinating. We're both so tiny and similar, even the reasons we chose our work are alike.

Other... small ones might be different, though.

Still, I'm so happy to meet someone who "came to do her work naturally."

Um... would you like some candy or chocolate? The other Apostles from the Order gave them to me.

Oh, thank you, but I'm fine. I actually don't like sweet foods that much.

Me too! I also get dizzy sometimes from eating sweet things.

Still, it's really nice to take a break from work and listen to the grasshopper's song in the meadow...

Achoo!

Kyah! Did you get sick because I splashed water on you?

Uuugh, if we were inside the Order, there'd be so many things around to dry you with...

H-here, use this for now!

Is this... a blanket?

Yes, it's my favorite blanket. I'm sorry...

Master sometimes mistakes it for a dishcloth and wipes the desk or floor with it... but I washed it yesterday, so it's clean!

My dearest moon can be mischievous sometimes.

Earlier, when milk was spilled, Master wiped it with this too...

And picked out only the apples from the apple pie...

Um... when I visited Master's room earlier, Master gave me apple pie...

But there were no apples in it...? Master said it was the baker's mistake...?

But Master has a kind side too.

When I had trouble eating cookies because the plate was too big, Master brought me a small cup and plate from somewhere.

It was a plate with a chick drawn on it, and it was perfect for me. Hehe.

Uh... the plate that I just polished squeaky clean this afternoon to only use myself but disappeared?

Maaaster!

Huh? Crepe, what happened?

Master said it was the baker's fault! And treated the blanket I washed clean like a rag again!

And Master used my precious cup and plate! That's too much! Master, TOO MUCH!

Shh, shhhh! Crepe!

Don't shout, just breathe in and out slowly.

Phew... shouting made stars twinkle in front of my eyes...

One two three breathe in, one two three breathe out. Shhhh.

Aww...

This feeling of being at eye-level with someone while holding them tight...

It's been... it's been so long.

Maybe it's the first time...?

It might be the first time.

Phew... I'm okay now.

Still, I hope you won't hate Master.

Master... probably didn't do those things to make you sad.

Mmm. That's true.

The Apostles are always cheeky too, and give Master a hard time... but very, very few Apostles do it with bad intentions, so Master doesn't hate the Apostles.

As the maid of the Order I don't hate Master...

But that's too much...

Mmm...

Huh?

Oh, that wasn't a sound from my stomach, though?

Ah, ahaha. That was me.

Talking with you was so exciting that I got hungry!

...And I was buried underground too.

Eek, p-please forget about that!

I will treat you to something delicious to make up for it!

Ehehe, at this hour, no one will be around!

Master who usually cooks has gone to bed!

Is it really okay to just come in like this?

Well there's a small hole in the back door that just invites us to go through!

A certain Apostle probably blew it open with a bomb during an experiment and patched it up carelessly!

What an exciting place the Order is!

And don't forget Master wronged me too!

So even if we eat something delicious here, Master can't say anything!

Even if, I'll take the scolding!

U-um. Okay then.

Then I'd like to make a suggestion too...

What is it?

The chairs here at the table are too big for me...

Since it's only us here... how about we eat sitting on the tabletop?

Ah, oh?

Look at this! I've always wanted to climb up here!

It was so hard having to have a cushion underneath and eat on my tippy toes...

I-I see...

Strangely, today there was a lock on the ingredient storage, so I could only make Snapmaw Ssam... Do you like it?

I wonder if someone raided the Banquet Hall warehouse again...?

Yes, I like this.

It's easy to make even in the forest, and convenient since I can eat it in one bite.

Best of all, having Snapmaw Ssam that fits in my mouth is truly special!

Thank you, Crepe.

Hehe, it's nothing...

The sprites seem to add some sugar to theirs, but it does taste good without the sugar, right...?

It tastes even better eating on top of the table.

Wouldn't the table collapse if the other Apostles climbed up like this?

Hmm, it might hold up...?

Maybe I should have brought your plate and cup too.

Uh...

Um, Crepe. I didn't know, but I'm sorry for using your plate and cup.

And the blanket too.

Mmm...

It's okay now.

If I think of it not as a stranger used my things, but a friend, it doesn't feel as bad anymore.

So you don't need to worry about it!

If anything, from now on, when you ask for food or drink, tell Master to use my dishes!

There are too many things in the Order that are too big and heavy.

Right. I have to struggle to climb even one step.

I'm so small, even when I try to look away, I keep seeing Master's filthy shoes.

Others can clean the statues off quickly, but just setting up a stepladder is hard for me!

There's even this one sprite who keeps trying to "add me to her collection." It's really annoying...

Priestess Yomi, you should be careful of her too.

Mmm, I'll remember that. She sounds really scary...

But why were you in the flower bed today?

Ah... I was thinking about planting some Moonflowers.

Moonflowers?

Yes. They're flowers from the field where I'm from. They bloom brightly under the moonlight...

I found myself wishing I could prepare a scenery where I could be present for Master.

Today I was just scouting for a spot, planning to bring seedlings next time...

But that might not be necessary.

I already found a little friend here who resembles the moonlight.

Crepe.

What do you mean?

Is life in the Order... difficult for you?

Someone who resembles me so much.

Hmm...

It can be tough, but...

I think cleaning and being the Order's maid is my duty.

No one forced me to do this, but that's how I feel.

I think you would understand.

Just like how you tend to the Moonflower garden.

So, I'm okay.

I see.

Crepe, if things get tough, come visit the field where the Moonflowers bloom anytime.

Master will take you there, if you ask for it.

I'd like to visit often, but... There's a place I must tend to.

Just like you have your duties, I have mine too.

So let me be shameless and ask you, Crepe.

Will you come visit me sometimes?

...I'm just a maid belonging to the Order, so it won't be easy...

But let's do our best in our respective places!

And when you have time someday, will you come help me plant Moonflowers?

It'll cheer me up too, thinking of the Priestess Yomi.

Alright.

Then for now... shall we make something else to eat?

Awesome!